Love, Love, Love
by i.death-chan
Summary: A collection of SasuSaku oneshots. 3 Because she deserved it. And because even though he didn't want to admit it, he needed her.
1. Kiss, Kiss

Love, Love, Love is here! I wanted to put this up by the end of September but it really didn't go that well… I was too busy on WOTN. Sorry.

Well, I know it's unexpected. But I think a oneshot series is good for my health. I mean, I have bits and pieces of random stories in my head and nowhere to let it out on because it doesn't fit with any of my other and/or upcoming stories.

Length of each oneshot will vary, but I don't think by a lot.

So… enjoy!

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**L o v e L o v e L o v e **

**Summary**: Sasuke never knew that Sakura slept only with a sports bra and short shorts on. [Prove she's your girlfriend, Uchiha Sasuke! Kiss her here and now, in front of all Konohagakure!

**Rating**: T/PG-13

**Genre**: Humor/Romance

Standard disclaimer applied.

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**Chapter 1: Kiss, Kiss**

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-

-

Sasuke inwardly growled and cursed Tsunade. Just because the hospital was in dire need for more medics just because some ANBU came back badly wounded didn't mean that she could send him, Uchiha Sasuke, elite ANBU captain, to do a task even a genin could do.

He had to go get one of the top medics, Tsunade's apprentice, to come to the hospital to help out.

Haruno Sakura. His teammate.

His female teammate.

His female teammate who, when he entered her room through the window of her apartment, was dressed in nothing but a sports bra that did nothing to cover her up and black short shorts that clung to her skin.

_'Damndamndamndamndamn–'_

When had she gotten so… so…

_'Don't think about her–'_

The light blue sheets were tangled around her long, slender legs –

He swallowed.

Her chest rising up and down every time she took long, deep breaths –

_'Think about Itachi's corpse on the bloody ground–.'_

The way her toned stomach and goddess-like face glowed as the ethereal moonlight bathed her lithe yet curvy figure–

_'Shitshitshitshit–'_

Swallowing back his bad thoughts, he soundlessly stepped closer to her bed, and, closing his eyes, he poked her forehead. "Oi. Sakura."

She let out a low moan of protest and swatted his hand away.

_'Argh!'_

Tsunade had warned him that she hadn't gotten any sleep for the last 72 hours before she sent him to retrieve Sakura and bring her to the hospital. She could be very… difficult to wake, Tsunade had told him.

He hadn't believed her. In the few times he had gone on missions with her after he had come back from Otogakure, she had always been up and alert, and the slightest of movements could wake her. But now, she sounded like even a full-scale attack on Konoha couldn't wake her from her deep slumber.

Growling lowly, he tried again. "Sakura."

But Sakura didn't swat his hand away again. Instead, her arms stretched out, grabbed the front his Jounin vest, and pulled him down…

His head landed on her (Tsunade-like) chest.

He held back the urge to activate his Sharingan. _'Fuckfuckfuckfuck–'_

"Fuckfuckfuck–"

She groaned, and his eyes widened. Was he cursing out loud?

"Sa – ku – ra…" Breathing when squashed to Haruno Sakura's chest can be really hard.

And then… her eyes snapped open.

But her arm strength was still legendary.

Slowly, her eyes roved round the room, until they landed on Sasuke.

Who was still partially lying on top of her.

She did what any groggy kunoichi would do to someone that was on her bed.

"GET AWAY FROM ME, YOU PERVERT!"

Did he mention before that she could smash _anyone _through three walls?

That was going to hurt for a while.

-

-

Tsunade looked as if she was going to burst into laughter any moment.

Kakashi was leaning against the wall, his dirty book held in one hand. But his lone eye was also diverted (surprisingly) toward him.

Naruto was unabashedly laughing his ass off, hurting his (very big) ego. His face was so red, his orange ensemble clashing with the red face.

And Sakura… was sitting in a chair, sulking, refusing to talk to him.

It wasn't _his _fault that Tsunade sent him to get her.

It wasn't _his _fault that Sakura hadn't gotten any sleep in 72 hours.

It wasn't _his _fault that he couldn't wake her up.

And it certainly wasn't _his _fault that she had an overly large chest.

So why was Sakura pinning the blame on no one else but _him_? _He _had done what Tsunade had _told _him to do.

Naruto's laughter was getting on his nerves.

"Dobe. Shut. Up." Ow. Talking still hurt his broken (beautiful) cheekbone.

Well, at least his fangirls (hopefully) won't see anything beautiful about his black-and-blue face. And maybe they won't stalk him for at least a couple of weeks.

"Sakura, you're being irrational." Tsunade was clenching her fists so that her nails would dig into her palms. _'Stupid old hag.' _But at least the Godaime was trying to suppress her laugher. "Sasuke was sent to get you, he was just doing his job."

Finally, someone who can think straight. But still, the "on-the-verge-of-breaking-into-hysterical-laughter" thing was still pissing him off.

Naruto was still laughing, gasping for breath.

His hands involuntarily twitched into handsigns for his favorite Katon jutsu but Kakashi caught his eye and shook his head.

_'Stupid Kakashi.' _Sasuke knew that Kakashi was laughing too – on the inside.

He gritted his teeth as Sakura replied haughtily. "Tsunade-shishou, you're on a much higher level of healing than me. You can heal Sasuke-kun. Besides, I'm low on chakra because of all those patients."

He knew that Sakura was lying. He knew that she had expanded her chakra reserves by a lot, but she was sucking up to Tsunade because she didn't want to heal him herself.

He hoped that Tsunade wouldn't fall for Sakura's trick.

But…

Tsunade's eyes lit up as fake glitter and confetti fell from God-knows-where to the floor. "You really think so, Sakura-chan?"

Sasuke swore the pink-haired vixen threw him a smug look before she turned to her shishou, eyes sparkling. "Of course I do, shishou!"

The two women hugged and a moonlit beach appeared behind them.

Naruto stopped laughing for a moment to see if that was really Sakura and Tsunade instead of Gai and Lee.

But when the moonlit beach faded away, Naruto promptly went back to laughing and Sasuke went back to wondering how an idiot could laugh for such a long time.

But then again, this _was _Uzumaki Naruto after all.

He hated his life.

-

-

"That was very smooth," Naruto chortled as he and Sasuke walked out the door. Sakura had stayed behind for her shift in the hospital, and Kakashi had gone somewhere in a poof of smoke.

Sasuke glared at his best friend. In the end, Tsunade had returned to her senses and Sakura had to heal him.

He knew that she deliberately didn't numb his bruise before setting his cheekbone back into place.

He knew that she wouldn't talk to him for at least a couple weeks; she could be very stubborn when she wanted to be.

He knew that she knew that she was wrong.

He smirked.

Sakura wasn't stupid or irrational (most of the time). She, after she had gotten back to her senses, had realized that Sasuke was only doing what her shishou had told him to do.

But she was a stubborn bitch. Her pride prevented her from apologizing, or from talking to him again.

And surprisingly, he liked it to a point.

"So," Naruto said seriously. "Are you going to apologize?"

The Uchiha blinked, then growled at the blonde. "Why should _I _apologize? She knows she's wrong."

Naruto sighed, as if Sasuke was some clueless boy who didn't know what cooties were. "Teme, teme, teme. I thought you were smart!"

Insert 'Black Uchiha Death Glare ©'.

Naruto laughed nervously as Sasuke's hate was directed toward him but continued nonetheless. "Seriously, teme. Sakura-chan can be very stubborn. Like that one time I ran into her in the showers, but that's not the point. You've got to _woo _her and make her think you're sorry. You don't actually have to apologize, but make her _think_ you're sorry."

Sasuke opened his mouth to retort, but a gazillion thoughts raced through his head. Actually… it wasn't that of a bad idea.

But… something about Naruto's lecture bothered him.

"Wait… what about the showers?!"

Naruto would stumble toward his pearl-eyed girlfriend hours later badly beaten and burned.

-

-

"So where does it hurt?"

The man, her patient, faked a huge sigh of despair. "Sakura-san… it hurts… right here."

He put on a dramatic show of placing his hand over the area where his heart was.

Twitch.

She decided to play dumb. "Uh… right. So… have you ever had a heart attack before then?"

Her patient looked stunned for a second, surprised that the trick didn't work. Sakura had to admit, he _was _pretty handsome but he was just too… idiotic for her.

He decided to try a different tactic.

"Sakura-san," he sighed, grabbing her hand.

She twitched.

_**'Back away, bitch.'**_

"I feel all better now."

She perked up. "Really? Then I'll get going now. I have to finish my rounds. See you tomorrow?"

He gave her a puppy-dog pout.

And….

No. She remained adamant.

"Sakura-san… I hear there's new restaurant opening tomorrow…"

"I'm sorry but–"

"C'mon… one _tiny _date's not going to kill anyone–" He scooted closer, too close to her shocked face, but was stopped by a gloved hand.

"Anyone but _you._"

She stiffened at the deep baritone. He… wasn't supposed to be here. He was supposed to be at home sulking because she wouldn't heal his (very hot) face.

Her patient's eyes widened and he stuttered out the ANBU captain's name with fearful reverence.

-

-

"I know something you don't," Naruto whispered to Sasuke confidentially as Sasuke completely ignored him and chose a few tomatoes from a vendor.

"Something about… winning over Sakura-chan."

He stopped in mid-bite (of his tomato) and turned.

Stare.

Naruto smirked.

"Every day, Sakura-chan goes on her rounds for the hospital."

"Noh thit dobe." No shit dobe. "Thie works ah duh hopital." She works at the hospital.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "I'm just trying to build the drama here. Yeesh."

Insert Uchiha Flat Glare (_Now with an added flash of the Sharingan!_)©.

"Anyway, there's this one guy she's been complaining about. His name's Kakaru Arashi, he's apparently a novice jounin. He's constantly been complaining about aches in his chest, and–"

"Cheesy pick up lines?" Sasuke drawled, swallowing the last of his tomato.

"Don't interrupt, teme!" Naruto snarled, his nostrils flaring like a rhino.

He shrugged, throwing the last of his tomato at Naruto, who hissed.

"Do you want Sakura-chan to get married to someone other than you?"

….

"Dobe."

"Alright, alright. Anyway, yeah, with the cheesy pick up lines. I've been going around the jounin lounges, and Arashi's been saying that he's going to take Sakura-chan to the opening of that snazzy new restaurant tomorrow."

"He WHAT?!"

"Yeah, and this is probably the time that she's going to check up on him…"

WHOOSH.

…

…

…

"Sasuke-teme?"

…

…

…

"AW, DAMMIT! DON'T DO THAT SPEEDY MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARING THING ON ME!!!"

-

-

"U…Uchiha… S-Sasuke…?" The legendary name was spoken with fearful reverence.

"Hn."

Sakura closed her eyes. _'Count to ten, and think happy thoughts.' _"Sasuke-kun…" she asked in a sugar sweet voice.

Arashi immediately started fandrooling while Sasuke knew that when her tone got like that, someone was going to go flying through three walls.

"What are you doing here?"

Arashi quickly gained his composure. "Yeah, Sasuke-san. Can't you see the door that says 'DO NOT DISTURB'?"

Sasuke stared blankly at the other man, who recoiled. Pathetic. "What's wrong with checking on my _girlfriend _during the middle of her shift?"

The novice jounin's eyes widened. _'B…but the Haruno Sakura fanclub newsletter says that she's _SINGLE_!!!!!!!!'_

"No," the Uchiha's husky voice cut through, as if he could read Arashi's thoughts. "Sorry to disappoint. She's _mine._"

For added emphasis, he snaked an arm around her thin waist and pulled her close to his jounin vest.

She made a small squeak of irritation. "Sas–"

He looked down at her stormy green eyes and gave her a warning. _'Play along.'_

Then the tone she spoke in completely changed. "Sasuke-kun," she whined playfully, aiming a well-placed back kick to his knee. "I told you to wait until I finished."

"Hn."

Arashi's eyes narrowed. After all, no matter how perverted he may have been, he was still a jounin.

"Prove it."

…

…

…

oh dear.

-

-

It turns out that Kakaru Arashi just faked his sickness to try to win over Haruno Sakura.

So the three of them walked out of the hospital into the busy marketplace, Arashi glaring at Sasuke's right arm (which still had a firm hold on Sakura's helpless form).

"Prove it. Prove she's your girlfriend, Uchiha Sasuke! Kiss her here and now, in front of all Konohagakure!"

It also turns out that Kakaru Arashi also had a megaphone mouth.

The whole marketplace seemed to stop breathing.

The poor kid. He looked nice. A jounin to boot. Must be retarded though, challenging Uchiha Sasuke. But… why was his arm around Haruno Sakura?

Sasuke stared blankly at Arashi, who smirked triumphantly.

"You can't do it, can you? Because she's _not _you're girlfriend!"

"I don't like repeating myself," Sasuke replied blandly.

"Then PROVE IT!" The other jounin screamed back challengingly.

Sasuke smirked devilishly, making Sakura shudder. Then… he spun her around, dipped her, then… kissed her.

She squeaked in surprise and she bunched up his vest, leaning in.

Arashi was crying, as well as other fanboys.

And… the fangirls were mourning.

"YEAH! SASUKE-TEME! YOU'RE FINALLY GONNA GET LAID!!!"

…

…

_'Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu.'_

…

…

…

Naruto ran towards the lake, screaming bloody murder. "DAMMIT, SASUKE-TEME!"

He turned back to Sakura after successfully torching the dobe, leaning forward that his forehead was touching hers.

"Look… I'm… _sorry _about what happened."

Her eyes softened and she pecked him on the cheek. "It's alright, Sasuke-kun…"

"But I'm not sorry about now. You're mine…"

She smirked. "Sasuke-kun, you should know that I'm a feminist–"

"But I really don't think the Uchiha matriarch should have an anger problem… nor should she punch like a rhino."

"Aw, that's so sweet–"

…

…

…

"Wait… what?"

…

…

Maybe Arashi had a chance with Sakura after all, as long as he didn't call her a rhino.

…

…

…

"UCHIHA SASUKEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!"

And though there weren't any walls nearby to punch Uchiha Sasuke through, there _was _a forest nearby.

With trees.

Lots and lots of trees she could smash his pretty head through again and again.

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Yeah, it got kinda messy toward the end… sorry, I'm really rusty ;;;

But… I was busy… yes, with WOTN. I'm sorry… but I'm also working on WOTN fanfictions too…

I should prepare to get killed by you guys, eh?

Well, if you happen to join the forums, you know who to look for (death-chan)

I've already gotten positive feedback from other FFN people; it's really that fun. Though… when you look as an outsider, it doesn't look like much. If you join, many more things will be open to you.

Hope to see you in the forums (www[dotwayoftheninja[dotorg)!


	2. Surprise!

You will be surprised by my reason for joining. Seriously.

But... another Love, Love, Love chapter is HERE!!! (oh yeah.)

I'm begging you all. Please, please, read the note at the bottom. Because I'm screwed if I don't get help.

So... thanks to everyone for reviewing (i'm updating in a hurry, please forgive me for not putting your names up) and I hope you all don't kill me for being so freaked out about such a stupid thing.

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**L o v e L o v e L o v e **

**Summary**: In which she surprises him by understanding his monosyllabic language, and he in return shows some chivalry.

**Rating**: T/PG-13

**Genre**: Humor/Romance

Standard disclaimer applied.

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**Chapter 2: Surprise!**

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He growled inwardly, flicking his wet bangs out of his eyes. Sure, he was strong. He was a prodigy. He was the number 1 genin out of his graduating class. Now, at 18, he was a world-reknowned jounin listed in ever possible bingo book imaginable to the human race.

He was Uchiha Sasuke.

So _why_ was he wading in dirty, slimy sewer water on a pathetic _D-rank _mission that even a genin could complete without any problems?

To top it all off, he was stuck with _her. _The girl that kept on chattering endlessly with her stupid talk. Sure, she was a respected kunoichi everywhere she went. She had killer looks and dangerous strength (literally).

She was Haruno Sakura.

And she was also giving him a headache.

"I mean, _look _at this! Why'd they send _jounin _to clean out _sewers_?! Even genin can do that."

Okay, sometimes he agreed with her -

"God, the stench is going to stay for at least a couple of weeks, think of how airheaded the Pig's going to be..."

- and sometimes she just needed to shut up. Seriously.

"I'm missing valuable training with Tsunade-shishou..."

Yes, he could be kicking Naruto's butt to kingdom come but -

"... and today was supposed to be movie night with the girls! Just my luck!"

Well... he was going to say he was missing valuable training and... training.

See what he meant? She distracted him. He picked up some sewer slime with a grimace and tossed it in the oversized garbage bag he was given.

"Sasuke-kun, are you even listening?"

"Hn." _Yes. _The answer came out of his mouth automatically.

"Tch. Doesn't seem like it." She stopped picking up garbage from within the polluted water for a moment to glare at him.

He blinked. She actually thought it meant yes... which was... surprisingly... correct.

"Sasuke-kun," A hand was waved in front of his face. "You're spacing out."

"Hn." _I am not. _Uchiha Sasuke does not space out. He goes into deep thought.

"Yes you are, Sasuke-kun. I'm a medic."

He stared blankly at her. "Hn..." _What does that have to do with anything?_

She rolled his eyes, as if she were explaining to him the fundementals of the shinobi code of conduct. "I can observe your eye movement."

"Hn." _Whatever. Get back to work. _

"Che. Just saying..." She glared at him for a moment before going back to stabbing floating garbage with a kunai and shoving it in the garbage bag.

She really did fascinate him. The only person that could understand his monosyllabic language was the Hyuuga because both (kind of) shared the same language.

But... _her _of all people...

Still, she _was _a smart and sharp kunoichi from the beginning.

"I'm just smart like that, Sasuke-kun."

His head snapped up, eyes narrowing as her own eyes twinkled.

Maybe she was psychic. Maybe that Yamanaka girl taught her some mind jutsu, and with her perfect chakra control she was able to pull it off.

"No, I'm not psychic Sasuke-kun."

He blinked. "Hn." _Whatever..._

She merely smiled mysteriously. "Whatever you say, Sasuke-kun... Whatever you say."

That Haruno Sakura was something alright, understanding his monosyllabic language. She surprised him.

He went back to wondering and doing his job.

And for two high-ranking jounin, they didn't notice the small ripples in the water...

...until the snake struck, biting Sakura right above her knee.

She yelped, dropping her kunai right on top of the snake's head. Thin, blood-coated fangs came out from her right knee and the snake dropped into the water with a small splash.

"Ow..." She squeezed at the skin above the bite, and blood oozed out of the two small holes.

"Stay still."

She looked up in surprise at the Uchiha, whose eyebrows were creased in concentration.

He picked her up by the waist almost effortlessly, placing her on the narrow ledge at the edge of the sewer.

Then what he did next actually made her wonder if this was the same Uchiha Sasuke she had stalked many years ago.

He grabbed her knee, squeezed some more blood out (she winced), brought his lips near the bite, and started sucking at the blood.

Her eyes widened and her face reddened as he lifted his head and spat some blood out. "S-Sasuke-kun..."

He made eye contact with her for a split second before resuming what he was doing. "Hn." _Shut up._

Being the obedient kunoichi she was, she remained quiet.

Surprise! Uchiha Sasuke finally melts and shows some chivalry!

Wait until she told the Pig about this.

When he was done, he wiped some blood from off the corner of his lips. "Hn..." _That's disgusting._

"Sasuke-kun..."

He looked down at his partner for the mission because he was at least a head taller than her. "Hn." _What._

"Thank you..." Shyly she reached out and wiped some near-dry blood from his cheekbone.

"Hn." _Yeah, you're welcome._

After all, when would Uchiha Sasuke ever act like this again? Never.

"But you know..."

"Hn." _What is it?_

"That snake... it wasn't poisonous."

-

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Alright. So here's my blight.

The chuunin exams.

Not the FFN one. The wayoftheninja one.

Yeah, laugh all you want. I can hear you from wherever you're living from.

But see, to pass the exam, I need to refer or whatever (which has given me inspiration for a horror oneshot as chapter three because I'm annoyed at the admins for making this exam harder than the past three).

HELP MEEEEE!!! Help this poor loser hobonin

But kiddies, don't rush to join the site all at once! )

Because I've decided to be a medic on the site, I need to stay genin and take the exams AGAIN. Which pisses me off even more. (Wow, this place is influencing my writing.)

JOINJOINJOIN!!! www(dot)wayoftheninja(dot)org!

I'll love you forever and ever and ever D


	3. She Will Be Loved

Whyhellothere.

This chapter _does not _follow the current Naruto plot, partly because Kishimoto's being an arsefacey about his damned manga and partly because this little story popped into my head for no reason at all when I was listening to music.

-

**L o v e L o v e L o v e**

**Summary**: Because she deserved it. And because even though he didn't want to admit it, he needed her.

**Rating**: T/PG-13

**Genre**: Romance

Standard disclaimer applied.

-

**Chapter 3 : She Will Be Loved**

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_I don't mind spending everyday_

_Out on your corner in the pouring rain_

_Look for the girl with the broken smile_

_Ask her if she wants to a stay awhile_

_(&shewillbeloved.)_

_-_Maroon 5;;She Will Be Loved-

-

-

-

They were nineteen now.

She was a high-ranking medical jounin, already surpassing her mentor, her second mother.

He was just a chuunin, one on probation, but his skills had already surpassed his former mentor, and probably all the ANBU in Konoha as well.

She'd had her fair share of boys during the time of his absence in her life, her fair share of kisses and dates and Valentine's Day presents – but it really never went further than that.

He'd had, and always would have his wealth, his name, his stunning looks, and his fanclub. But none of his fangirls didn't seem to be enough for him.

Though she was a jounin, and a strong one at that, she stayed in the hospital always healing and saving lives.

Though he was merely a chuunin, one on probation, he was constantly being sent on missions – assassinations, espionage missions, missions that normal people wouldn't have been able to go through without losing a tiny bit of sanity – he killed and maimed, like the cold-blooded weapon he was raised to be.

He usually left for his missions either very early in the day, when the first light of Konoha still wasn't turned on, or very late in the night, when the village was near-hidden in the night. No one would be able to witness him leave, maybe except for those annoying ANBU guards constantly watching him from afar.

And except for her.

She'd always be waiting on that bench – (_the same bench where he left her years ago_) – sitting, clasping her hands, looking up at him with expectant eyes – (_"You'd better come home alive, you hear me? Or I'll kill you, bring you back, and kill you again."_) – always ready to see him off.

-

_"Do you have your mission scroll with you?"_

_"Aa."_

_"Hitai-ate?"_

_"Aa."_

_"Weapons pouch?"_

_"Aa."_

_"Kusanagi?"_

_"Aa."_

_"Money for meals?"_

_"..."_

_(and with a laugh in her eyes she'd take out a few supplements and a small container containing rice balls and such, handing it to him)_

_"You don't have to do this, you know."_

_"I know, Sasuke-kun. But I want to."_

_"Hn."_

_"Well that's a nice way to show your gratitude."_

-

But he'd always return the favor by coming back alive, unhurt.

And she'd be waiting for him. She'd wait at the hospital in her office, where she usually gave him his usual post-mission checkup – (_he'd thrown a fit when another medic had first tried to look him over_) – and then she'd walk him home – (_"You've just finished a mission! It's not that I don't trust you walking alone in the night, Sasuke-kun, but you might pass out... or something."_) – and she'd always see him off with a smile.

And even though he'd always be gruff with her, she'd take it with a smile (_didn't she ever get sick of smiling?_); she knew him – she knew that because he was emotionally stupid and too proud, he really had no way of showing his thanks.

But he did show his thanks in the little ways. He'd complimented her right uppercut in a Team 7 reunion – (_"If that pedophile Jiraiya tries to do _anything_, don't hesitate to use it."_). He'd attended more Team 7 gatherings without really making a big deal (for him, anyway) about it - (_"But if the dobe wants to go to Ichiraku's, I'm out."_). He'd even accepted her Christmas present for him even if he'd worn a small scowl – (_"You walked here without a coat, in freezing temperature, just to give me this... you're mental, Sakura..."_) – he'd changed in small ways. And even if some people still thought of him as an insensitive asshole, she'd always rejoice over the small things with him, like a teacher with an improving student.

-

-

This mission was going to be fairly simple – a mission to guard a daimyo his journey to Sunagakure.

Well, that's what he thought.

Until he found out that Takahashi Tsuna had a seventeen-year old daughter.

And this was one of the few cases where he had to leave in the daytime, because of the hindrances he would have to keep safe.

But Sakura was waiting, a smile on her face as Sasuke (with a scowl on his face) stalked near the village gates, an unnamed chuunin that was going to be assisting trailing closely after the daimyo, and the girl (what was her name again? Imai?) clinging off his left arm.

And she saw him, with the annoying girl (_"Woow, Sasuke-kunn, you're so _ripped_–"_) chattering endlessly in his ear. Slowly, fluidly, she got up, eyes crinkled and her mouth quirked up in a smile. "Sasuke-kun."

He heard the amusement in her voice and his scowl got darker. "Sakura."

Immediately, the girl beside him got territorial. "Hi!" She chirped in her high-pitched voice. "I'm Takahashi Imai, daughter of one of the most famous _daimyos_ here, who are you?"

Both shinobi immediately caught the hostile tone toward Sakura, and Sasuke tensed involuntarily while the chuunin (Tsuta, was it?) and daimyo talked about village affairs, ignorant of the three teens in front of them. Sakura, noticing Sasuke's mood getting darker and darker, stifled a chuckle and rearranged her face into a polite smile.

"Nice to meet you, Imai-san. I am Haruno Sakura, I'm just another shinobi of Konoha, I'm not important at all." Of course she was lying. But Imai wouldn't know, she didn't partake in the bloody shinobi world, she wouldn't know of Sakura's reputation.

"So what are you guys?" Imai asked suspiciously, masking her nosy curiosity well. "Are you a couple?"

"No," Sasuke snapped immediately, and Sakura, who had opened her mouth to reply, quickly clamped it shut with a hurt look in her eyes. But they quickly flicked back to its polite, laughing state. Imai didn't notice, but Sasuke did.

He saw everything. He always saw her hurting, even when she laughed at his sarcastic quips and when she yelled at Naruto for being Naruto and even when she argued playfully with Ino.

"No," Sakura repeated Sasuke's word, back in her politely amiable tone. "We're just teammates is all."

Turning to Sasuke, she smiled again – (_'Stop smiling when you don't want to'_) – and did what she usually did.

"Mission scroll?"

"Aa."

"Hitai-ate?"

"Aa."

"Weapons pouch?"

"Aa."

"Kusanagi?"

"Aa."

And she handed him a small bento box as if she knew that his mission probably wouldn't require for him to hide in stealth and the least amount of hindrances like a bento box. "I've put your soldier pills in there as well, and you should find a tomato in there too." She then turned to the chuunin apologetically. "I'm sorry, Tsuta-san, Sasuke-kun usually goes on solo missions so I didn't know..."

"Sakura," Sasuke interrupted curtly. He'd lost his patience with Imai, and this whole mission in general. He was _Uchiha Sasuke_. He didn't bother with petty missions such as these. But the shortage of available shinobi had required him to step up to take these ghastly missions.

"Oh, right." Sakura stepped back from the group, but not before taking his hand and squeezing it briefly with a smile. (_FAKE, his mind screamed_). "Come home safe..."

And she watched him leave, Imai clinging from his arm.

Always, he was the one that left her behind.

But it was a mission.

He didn't look back to see the smile slip from her face.

-

-

So the mission hadn't gone as smoothly as he'd anticipated.

A group of bandits had been waiting for them, setting up traps down the path that the small group was taking. And as skilled Tsuta was with his ninjutsu, he was very clumsy.

So he'd tripped over a wire to cause not only a torrent of weapons to rain down upon them, but to create an explosion and alert the group of bandits.

So not only did Sasuke have to fight the (low-ranking) bandits, but he had to do with a near-hysterical, screaming girl, clutching onto his arm.

Though the daimyo had only been mildly shocked, Tsuta was doing a good job protecting him with his wind-based jutsu, creating not only a protective dome around them but creating some sort of cyclone to go on the offensive.

However, Sasuke had not gotten away that unscathed.

Imai had been wearing an expensive and hindering kimono, and she sported no athleticism at all. So when one opponent had rushed up to her with some sort of scythe-weapon, Sasuke had to twist around and make a grab for the blade, before breathing fire into the poor guy's face.

And this was how Uchiha Sasuke, while fighting off a band of pitiful rogue bandits, acquired a shameful but deep gash in his palm, cracked ribs, and a really bad whiplash.

Sasuke'd dropped off the daimyo, the girl (_"Call me!"; No."_), and Tsuta, who apparently was allowed by Tsunade to practice his wind-styled jutsu with the best of the best in Suna (_"Is it true that Temari-sama's single?"_)

-

_"Sasuke-san, that's a bad cut you have," Tsuta commented mildly, helping the daimyo wrap bandages around his arm, which had been nicked by a kunai. "There you go, daimyo-sama, it should be as good as new in a day or so."_

_And Imai had jumped at the chance to touch him. "I know basic first-aid, let me help you, Sasuke-kun!" She had reached for her hand, but he jerked it back with a snarl._

_"Don't touch me," he said coldly, his eyes flickering crimson. _

_"But that other girl touched you," Imai whined, disdain in her voice, and her father turned his head, perhaps ashamed by her behavior, resuming his talk on poisons with Tsuta. "You heard what she said, Sasuke-kun. She's just another nameless, disposable ninja–"_

_"Say that again," Sasuke hissed softly, cutting the girl off for the first time. Even if he got annoyed or angry, he'd stayed polite. _

_"I said," Imai huffed, obviously not getting the hint, "that she–"_

_"Er, Iami-san," Tsuta, being smart noticed Sasuke's murderous aura and cut the girl off. "Sakura-san is actually an accomplished medical Jounin who has nearly surpassed her mentor, our Godaime Hokage. Sasuke-san usually gets healed by her."_

_And the unsaid statement hung in the air, something that even Takahashi Imai would get._

Sakura is the only one that heals him, that touches him, without permission.

Only her.

_That pretty much ended the conversation._

_-_

When he arrived at the hospital, he was surprised to find that the window to her dimly-lit office was closed.

During the time when they'd started this routine, he used to go through the main entrance of the hospital. But when nasty rumors about the two shinobi started to come to life, they'd decide to take the less attention-grabbing approach – since Sasuke was quick, he could just fly into her office through a window which she'd keep open.

But it wasn't open tonight. He could see her through the window, hunched over a clipboard, a pen hanging limply in her hand.

She was taking a nap.

With a slight smirk, he took his unhurt hand and gently tapped the window.

The reaction was immediate; she woke up with a jolt, blearily looking around to see what time it was before her eyes widened. He saw her lips move, forming various cuss words as she stumbled over to the other side of her office where the window was, but not before tripping over a pile of paperwork like the klutz she was.

"Sorry, Sasuke-kun," Sakura said breathlessly after she let him in. "Someone came back in critical condition... we just stabilized him half an hour ago..."

"Aa." Sasuke said. She'd probably taken over the hurt nin, being the kind of person she was, persisting until she'd either stabilized him, or until she passed out from chakra exhaustion. Unless she'd popped a few soldier pills, of course. "How many soldier pills?"

"Only two," she replied, smiling before gesturing to her table. "Sit." She was lying, he knew – she was tired and probably feeling the dizzying aftereffects of all the pills she took – it took even Tsunade more than two pills to stabilize someone.

Back to routine – she quickly did a run-over of his body, to heal what was needed to be healed. She'd raised an eyebrow when she'd felt his cracked ribs, and she pursed her lips at the sight of his hand, which was oozing pus and blood by now. "Sasuke-kun... you should have gotten treatment in Suna."

"No," he said flatly, adamantly.

Sakura shook her head and sighed. "Damn stubborn jerk," she mumbled, easily pushing her healing chakra into him, mending his ribs. "Hold on, that hand's going to need some more treatment..."

As if she'd been doing it all her life, she took another soldier pill from her back pocket and threw it in her mouth, before dabbing at his hand with some stinging ointment – "Don't give me that look, Sasuke-kun, don't tell me you're afraid of this miracle worker." – and she eased in her chakra into the gash in his hand, until it was closed. "That'll probably leave a scar," she told him disapprovingly.

Sasuke snorted, and she grinned. "But of course, it makes you look cooler."

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever, let's go."

-

-

He couldn't sleep tonight.

His hand and ribs were throbbing.

It was thundering outside.

He just felt as if something was wrong.

Sighing, he went out on his balcony for some fresh air, even if there was a thunderstorm happening.

And he saw her, standing in the rain in nothing but an oversized T-shirt and shorts, shivering.

His eyes narrowed. "Sakura," he called out.

Miraculously, over the noise of the rain and thunder, she heard him and looked up with an almost dazed expression on her face.

He sighed. "Come up."

And she did. He was already waiting by his door when she slowly climbed the last stair to the door of his apartment, too exhausted of chakra to jump onto his balcony, or anything else for that matter.

"What happened?" He asked, giving her a towel, which she accepted gratefully.

"I don't know," she answered honestly. "I think a man – a chuunin – pulled out a weapon on his wife – civilian. They're right next door to me, so it got pretty hectic in there when the ANBU came..."

She looked up at him, smiling (_fakefakefake), _a hint of apology in her voice. "Sorry to have bothered you, Sasuke-kun. I'll sleep over Naruto's or something. I don't even know why I came here in the first place..."

"Look," Sasuke said, cutting her off. "About what I said at the beginning of the mission..."

"But it's true," she smiled again, and he resisted the urge to tell her to stop lying to herself like that, by smiling. Perhaps that guy, Sai, had rubbed off on her. "We're just teammates, Sasuke-kun, right? Nothing less, nothing more. And don't even apologize for being a jerk. If I were you I'd be irritated too."

Sakura looked up at him expectantly, as if waiting for an agreement for him.

"You love me," he stated blandly. _You love me by waiting for me, by healing me, by letting me hurt you._

She nodded patiently. "Yes, I do."

"And you expect to be nothing more, nothing less? If you loved me?"

She blinked, but was honest. "I want to be something more," she said softly. The rain had receded to a mere drizzle now, but they were still in front of his apartment. She squeezed some water out of her shirt before continuing. "I want to be something more... but I'm not going to force myself onto you, because you hate that. I know better. I'll only come in if you let me in."

"Okay then," Sasuke shrugged. He stepped back into his apartment, opening the door wide open. "Come in."

She gaped at him.

He smirked in reply, as she tried to comprehend the double meaning of his words. For a smart girl like her, she could be very slow. "Hurry up, don't let the cold air in."

She smiled brilliantly – sincerely – at him, and stepped inside into his life.

-

-

-

To those of you who thought I kicked the bucket, sorry. I'm not dead yet. My mom would kill me if I died without going to college.

But yes, I haven't updated in a while partly because I was busy with other things (yeah, as hard to believe as it seems, I have a life) like homework, Wayoftheninja, and such, especially AP Physics. No one told me it'd be this hard OTL

My updates will probably be slower and shorter, and I probably won't have the time and patience to give my thanks to reviewers by putting them in the the author's notes, so I hope you guys can forgive me for that.


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